


Pretty in Pearls

by GordandV



Category: Batman Beyond
Genre: Bruce Still Has Game, F/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-06
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-10-05 03:17:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17317049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GordandV/pseuds/GordandV
Summary: If it happened to anyone else Terry would be laughing, but instead it’s him watching his girlfriend get escorted around by a man who could be her great-grandfather. Dana has been charmed by Mr. Wayne and has abandoned her boyfriend for Bruce's company.





	Pretty in Pearls

If it happened to anyone else Terry would be laughing, but of course it’s happening to him. Instead of being able to make a joke at some other guy’s expense, it’s him watching his girlfriend get escorted around by a man who could be her great-grandfather. Dana and Bruce get looks from everyone that pass them as the pair window shop, people no doubt trying to figure out if the pretty girl is taking her grandpa out to enjoy the weather or if there’s something more to be assumed from how she hangs off the man’s arm. Terry thinks it’s worse than either of those options because Dana isn’t related to Bruce and is definitely not sleeping with him for his money. She’s been charmed by Mr. Wayne and has abandoned her boyfriend for his company instead of Terry’s, and Terry feels absolutely pathetic as he sulks by a fountain and occasionally moves to follow them.

“Stupid old man,” Terry whispers to himself as Dana stops them in front of the next shop window and points at something. Terry hunches over just as a breeze blows by and shivers a bit. He watches Bruce and Dana shiver as leaves dance about their feet; despite the heat of the sun it’s a cooler day than any of them anticipated. Dana lets go of Bruce’s arm which she has been glued to for way too long to rub at her bare arms.

“Dana,” he calls, already slipping off his jacket and getting up to bring it over to Dana. He grits his teeth when Dana reaches up to adjust the black jacket that Bruce has shed and draped across her shoulders.

“Aw you didn’t have to do that Mr. Wayne,” he hears Dana fairly coo as she turns to look at Bruce. “Aren’t you going to get cold now?”

“I tend to layer up,” Bruce replies evenly, plucking at the collar to his turtleneck sweater. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re too sweet, thank you,” Dana says, fiddling with the jacket a bit before attaching herself back onto Bruce’s arm and appearing to lean into him. Terry’s hand that grips his own jacket drops, now useless. He glares at Bruce when the older man looks back and offers a triumphant smile.

“Hey, Dana, nice coat,” Terry says bitterly, unable to just sit around and passively watch his girlfriend continued to be charmed. “Bit big on you though, isn’t it? And old?”

Dana looks over her shoulder that sits pressed against Bruce, lipstick shining in the sunlight as she replies. “Your jackets are always big on me, and besides, this is retro! Retro is good, Mr. Wayne, don’t worry.”

“I wasn’t worried in the slightest, Dana, but thank you,” Bruce says happily. “I think you look lovely.”

“See, Terry? Mr. Wane thinks I look lovely,” Dana repeats pridefully as she tosses her hair and tugs on Bruce’s arm. “Come on, I actually want to go into this store.”

“Something catch your eye?” Bruce asks, sounding amused as he goes along with Dana into the shop leaving Terry to quietly fume outside.

“Damn old man,” he mutters under his breath before he goes into the shop thinking it can’t get any worse.

It does indeed get worse because Dana no doubts wants to try things on, something Terry doesn’t handle on a good day when his boss doesn’t steal his girl. He never will or pretend to know why girls can’t just grab clothes and go without trying on every single thing in sight. Bruce, Terry notes upon entering the shop, seems happy to play the senior citizen card as one the shop employees offers him a chair and chats with him as Dana disappears into one of the dressing rooms with an alarming amount of things already in her arms.

“Oh I wish she was my granddaughter,” Bruce says to the employee, sounding absolutely ordinary and pleasant. “Ah, here’s her boyfriend, actually. He works for me, don’t you, Terry?”

Terry plasters on a smile and goes to stand somewhat behind Bruce and tells himself it would not do him any favors to make a spectacle. “Yup, and the only way I got you out of the house was apparently promising to let you take my girlfriend out.” The cane that subtly if painfully digs into the top of his foot is worth it.

“Well aren’t you just the nicest boy,” the shop employee says with a wink. “Let me know if you need help with anything.” She luckily leaves the two alone and Terry takes the chance to lean over to whisper.

“You know, when I said me and Dana would take you out, I meant we’d both keep you company for a few hours outside the manor.”

“Problem, McGinnis?”

“Yes, I have a problem, I-”

Before he can finish Dana pushes aside the curtain and steps out in a red dress that immediately makes Terry forget why he was so mad at Bruce in the first place. He forgets about almost everything else as Dana turns on the spot with pursed lips and a wrinkled forehead.

“I don’t know about this one,” she says, chin tipping downwards as she pulls a bit on the hem against her legs. “What do you think?”

“You look very nice in red,” Bruce offers, removing his cane from Terry’s foot and folding his hands over the top of it. “Though I’m not sure that neckline is the most flattering on you.”

Dana’s one hand slips upwards to the top of the dress as she repeats the word neckline; Terry tells himself he can’t strangle Bruce though he’s sorely tempted to.

“I think you can do better,” adds Bruce gently. “This one does not do you enough justice.”

“Well I think you look great,” Terry huffs, folding his arms and shifting his weight.

“If I wore a sack that was tight and short enough you think I’d look great, McGinnis,” Dana says distractedly. She turns to look at herself in the mirror then nods. “No to this one.” As soon as the curtain shuts Terry leans over and drops his voice.

“What are you doing?” he demands as Bruce side eyes him. “She looked great!”

“That’s the problem with your generation: no taste. Just keep it tight, tiny, and slinky and it’s attractive.”

Terry splutters because that’s exactly right and he’d be quite happy if Dana thought that way too.

Bruce merely shakes his head. “We had class back in my day.”

“You also had dinosaurs,” Terry grounds out as he straightens up for Dana’s next pick.

Shopping with his girlfriend and his boss does not get easier, but Terry learns that it’s just better if he compliments Dana when she obviously likes something or says he doesn’t when she clearly doesn’t like a piece. Bruce seems to be running his own agenda and makes his own opinions plain, though he does so with care when they aren’t favorable or outright glowing compliments.

“You’re never this nice to me,” Terry gripes to Bruce as they wait by the front door when Dana makes her purchases. “Why doesn’t she get the third degree when she picks something you don’t like?”

“Because she is a nice young lady and doesn’t bust up my suit on a daily basis,” Bruce replies quietly. “Unlike someone I know.”

“Oh come on, so not schway! I haven’t busted the suit in like, a month.”

“I know, it’s a new record,” comes the dry reply.

When finished Dana goes up to them, Bruce’s jacket draped over one of her bags. She tries to give it back, but Bruce insists he’ll be just fine without it. He goes so far as to help her get it around her shoulders again much to Terry’s disdain, then asks where to next.

The process continues much the same until they wind up in a fairly high-end jewelry store that Terry thinks he’s been in once before to stop a robbery. Any damage from that night is long gone. All the cases are perfectly intact, glass cleaned to within an inch of its life to display the uncountable treasures inside that sparkle under the numerous lights. Bruce surprisingly goes towards one employee and pulls out an old watch on a leather strap and starts asking about what sounds like a repair.

“Aren’t these pretty?” Dana asks, pointing at some god-awful earrings that Terry can’t even pretend to like. They’re red and orange, unreasonably long and pointed, and Terry can’t figure out who would ever make such a disaster and try to sell it.

“Not really my style,” he replies, finally able to put himself next to Dana and going so far as to put his arm around her shoulders. It’s the first time since they left the manor that Terry’s been able to touch her. She tugs his arm down tighter then curls against his side. One slim arm hooks around his waist as Dana’s other hand moves a bit to point again and Terry tells himself he should not feel so smug about getting his girlfriend back.

“What about the black ones, the spiral ones?” she asks. “Those are nice.”

“I guess.”

They slowly work their way down the counter as Bruce continues to talk with the employee who seems fascinated with the watch Bruce has. Neither Terry nor Dana give any thought when earrings give way to rings, pointing out ones they like or making fun of others that should never see the light of day. Just like before they point and chat until another employee comes from the back. It doesn’t take long for that employee to jump to conclusions when Terry asks Dana what she thinks about a silver ring with three small rubies.

“Wedding bells in your future?” the employee asks sweetly, seeing no rings on either of their hands.

“Us?” Dana asks, looking taken back then around to make sure no one else is being addressed.

“Planning an engagement perhaps?” the employee continues, gaze shifting to Terry who gapes then shakes his head.

“No, no, just looking,” he says hastily, “We’re not engaged.”

“Yet,” teases Dana, pinching Terry’s side with a wide grin. That makes Terry go red as Dana laughs and looks at the employee. “We’re together, but I don’t know if this one is it in for the long run yet.”

The employee nods and offers a smile to Terry then goes around the counter. “How long have you two been together, if you don’t mind my asking.”

“It’ll be…five years in a few months?” Dana says unsurely as the employee takes out a set of keys and starts to flip through them. “I mean, not consistently, but five years.”

“There weren’t that many breaks,” Terry mutters which earns him a sharp finger in his ribs. “Ow!”

“Do you not remember high school?” Dana demands, settling her hand back down flat against Terry’s side as the employee finds a key then opens the display to pull out a tray of rings.

“So high school was a rough patch for us, we’re still together now aren’t we?” Terry reminds.

“High school sweet hearts?”

“I guess so.”

The employee beckons at Dana who slowly offers her left hand over. Terry stares as the employee flips her hand palm up then over again before taking out a silver band with a single diamond from the tray. It’s hard to ignore how tense Dana goes under Terry’s arm when the ring gets slipped onto her ring finger.

“High school could have been your crucible,” the employee offers, letting go of Dana who immediately lifts her hand up to have the diamond catch the light. She looks unsure, but the expression fades as she twists her wrist and sets the diamond sparkling. “I bet you two are stronger for it now.”

The employee’s fingers twitch to ask for Terry’s hand, but Terry refuses.

“I’m good.”

“Oh Terry come on,” Dana huffs. “It’s fun!”

“I really don’t, okay yeah, fine,” Terry starts before the employee snatches his right hand in a surprisingly strong grip. He ignores Bruce who of course chooses to wander over when the employee shifts a fairly thick, unadorned band onto Terry’s finger.

“Did you two forget to tell me something?” Bruce asks with a knowing glint in his eyes.

“You’ll be the first to know if we ever do,” Dana promises as she shifts Terry’s arm off her shoulder. “You have to do this right, Terry, come on.”

The ring gets slipped onto his left hand and Terry can’t ignore the curl of fear and anxiety in his stomach because he could see himself, maybe, one day far in the future, actually putting a ring on Dana’s finger. He doesn’t feel nearly as ridiculous as he thinks he should as Dana puts her back to Terry’s front, leans into him, then laces their fingers together.

“What do you think, Mr. Wayne?” Dana asks as she turns their hands back and forth for all angles.

“About the rings or your choice in spouse?” Bruce chuckles as the employee joins in the mirth.

“I like the silver,” Dana sighs, “I’m not sure I’m a diamond type of girl though.”

“Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, or just not white diamonds?” the employee asks as Dana gives once last look at their hands before letting go and pulling the ring off to give it back.

“I don’t know, honestly, but I never cared too much for diamonds; they always looked like glass to me.”

The other ring returns to the tray and Terry rubs his bare finger uncomfortably.

“Nothing wrong with breaking tradition as it were; lots of girls wants something special that isn’t a diamond,” the employee says.

“Just keep it sparkly,” Bruce adds with a wink that has Dana giggle.

“All the sparkle,” she agrees with a nod before looking at the employee. “Thanks for the help, but I don’t think this one is ready yet.” She elbows Terry then hooks her arm through his.

“Ready to go?” Terry asks to which Bruce nods.

“I’ll come back in a few days,” he replies as Dana drags Terry forward so she can take Bruce’s other arm and keep herself between the two men.

“Who wants lunch?” chimes Dana. “Terry’s buying.”

Terry rolls his eyes but doesn’t reply because Dana leans up to kiss his cheek sweetly. “Right, Terry?”

“Whatever you want,” he somewhat reluctantly agrees.

Contrary to Dana’s suggestion, Bruce buys lunch though he insists it’s in thanks for the two spring chickens keeping the old coot out of the house for an afternoon.

“Any way I can make you say that on video?” Terry asks around the last bit of his sandwich while Dana crumples up her paper wrapper.

Bruce doesn’t bother to look up from his colorful salad as he says no.

“Mr. Wayne, you’ll be alright on your own for a few minutes alone, won’t you?” asks Dana as she gets up and starts tugging at Terry. “I need to take Terry to a store.”

“Dana, no, another store?” Terry groans, though he doesn’t resist as he crams his mouth full with what remains of the sandwich and pushes himself to his feet. He doesn’t miss Dana’s sly look as she twines about his arm and can’t help but look puzzled at her cryptic reply.

“Trust me, you’ll want to come with me for this one,” she murmurs.

“I’ll be here when you’re done,” Bruce hums before Dana drags Terry off.

The little café is mostly quiet but has a perfect view that overlooks most of the mall. True to Dana’s word they aren’t gone for very long. She returns with a pink striped bag in one hand with the name of a lingerie store that Bruce knows from back when he was with Selina; her other hand is clamped around Terry’s, leading him like a lost dog. Terry looks flustered and Bruce can only imagine the whirlwind he just went through.

“Successful trip?” he asks, though he’s not sure who exactly he’s addressing as Terry covers his head with his arms as he slumps onto the table.

“Very,” Dana confirms, adding the bag to the others. “We weren’t gone too long, were we?”

“Barely noticed you were gone.”

  

Bonus:

“But you’re so old, why do girls always get charmed by old men?” Terry whines to himself, uncaring of how petty he sounds and temporarily forgetting that Bruce was not hard of hearing, nevertheless in the cave where sounds tended to echo.

“I might be old, but I’m still smooth enough to steal your girl,” Bruce calls from his seat. “You could learn a thing or two from me. By the way, I’m taking Dana out on Thursday night.”

“You’re taking my girlfriend out?”

Bruce leans back in his chair and looks smug. “Jealous, McGinnis?”

“Uh, yeah; she’s my girlfriend, not yours!”


End file.
